2010 Draft Needs

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

I wouldn't even come close to saying he is Abe's replacement. The way the coaching staff is working Sidbury into the DE rotation (at RE), he could very well be Abraham's replacement. Sid is almost a mirror image of Abe, but less refined.

Agreed, I think that Sidbury is going to get every chance to replace Abe at RE in a couple years. He has the pass rush potential, he just needs to develop.

Bierman would be a perfect rotational LE though. I just don't think he is a starter quality. I think our rotation would be much better with an every down LE who can play the run and rush the passer with Bierman rotating in than it would be with Bierman as the starter and adding someone as depth behind him.

[ATLBrave]

Agreed, I think that Sidbury is going to get every chance to replace Abe at RE in a couple years. He has the pass rush potential, he just needs to develop.

Bierman would be a perfect rotational LE though. I just don't think he is a starter quality. I think our rotation would be much better with an every down LE who can play the run and rush the passer with Bierman rotating in than it would be with Bierman as the starter and adding someone as depth behind him.

Hey, agree to disagree. I just think more highly of Biermann and think he will continue to improve on his play versus the run.

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

I was just about to say that man. I hope Bierman continues to improve though, we need all the DL talent we can get our hands on.

Speaking of which, I hope JA98 moves inside to DT more against Dallas. We could really use the DT depth and he made some nice plays against Chicago. I am interested to see if we use him more in that capacity and I am also interested to see how our defensive line as a whole does against Dallas. If we can rattle Romo we can win this game no problem.

[ATLBrave]

I was just about to say that man. I hope Bierman continues to improve though, we need all the DL talent we can get our hands on.

Speaking of which, I hope JA98 moves inside to DT more against Dallas. We could really use the DT depth and he made some nice plays against Chicago. I am interested to see if we use him more in that capacity and I am also interested to see how our defensive line as a whole does against Dallas. If we can rattle Romo we can win this game no problem.

Yeah, I really like what Anderson has done inside. He showed some flashes of brilliance against the 49ers, but I somewhat dismissed it due to their porous O-line, but he stepped up again against the Bears. Next year, if they continue to play JA98 at the DT spot, we will be extremely deep there. Perry will be coming back, and with Thomas Johnson playing well, along with Babs and probably Anderson (I hope they continue to play him here)...****. Our interior D-line will be pretty set. In terms of the defense, I don't see that many holes at this point. I think we will be fine at CB with some of the younger guys we have in Owens and Jackson. Our only real need there on D is a LB to eventually replace Peterson and another DE for depth.

EDIT:

I forgot to mention Tye Hill here, who was one of my favorite DBs when he came out in '06. I really think his injury problems will be a thing of the past, and I'm quite positive we are all aware of the fact that he is a player when on the field.

[Jaymadd]

Agreed, I think that Sidbury is going to get every chance to replace Abe at RE in a couple years. He has the pass rush potential, he just needs to develop.

Bierman would be a perfect rotational LE though. I just don't think he is a starter quality. I think our rotation would be much better with an every down LE who can play the run and rush the passer with Bierman rotating in than it would be with Bierman as the starter and adding someone as depth behind him.

How do you feel that Beirmann is not starter quality when he is playing starter type minutes he is on the field alot. He has more pass rush moves than Sidbury, better motor than Sidbury, and the added weight really puts him in a situation to compete. He is getting better and better against the run, but i do worry about Sid and Beirmann as a full time LDE, but either could play RDE, and right now Beirmann has the advantage, and I dont think that Beirmann is the type of player to be complacent and rest on his butt while his competition gets better.

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

How do you feel that Beirmann is not starter quality when he is playing starter type minutes he is on the field alot. He has more pass rush moves than Sidbury, better motor than Sidbury, and the added weight really puts him in a situation to compete. He is getting better and better against the run, but i do worry about Sid and Beirmann as a full time LDE, but either could play RDE, and right now Beirmann has the advantage, and I dont think that Beirmann is the type of player to be complacent and rest on his butt while his competition gets better.

We haven't seen Sidbury at all, so I can't compare them. But when Bierman came into the NFL he was a DE/LB tweener, and bulking him up to 270+ pounds so he can stand up against the run better at LE for us makes little sense to me. Leaving him at a more natural weight (not 245 or whatever he was obviously) to maximize his quickness, motor and versatility (which is helpful on defense but also special teams) is much more logical in my opinion.

We haven't seen Sidbury yet, but we drafted him because of his potential as a pass rusher. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I have been seeing Bierman getting a lot of snaps at LE, not at RE. That makes me believe that as he continues to develop we will use him in a rotation to take advantage of his quickness against some more slow footed RT's, that is a good matchup for us when we have the offense in a passing situation. Sidbury I can't say will be the heir to the RE spot, but he will get his chances and if he develops alright... why wouldn't he start there?

I think Bierman is a rotational LE for us, sure he could play RE, but he is a much better matchup at LE against a RT than he is at RE. That's probably why he gets so many snaps there, and that is why Chauncey rotates in at RE so much. Chauncey is more solid versus the run and less quick off the edge, but because he is going against a LT the LT's advantage of mirroring the speed rush is negated because Chauncey is a better bull rusher and is solid against the run. Bierman presents the same advantage at LE because he can beat RT's to the outside on a regular basis with a speed rush and with his good motor, and if he rotates in on more passing downs than rushing downs he negates the RT's main strength, which is usually run blocking.

Edited October 22, 2009 by NFL Draft Fan 07

[Jaymadd]

We haven't seen Sidbury at all, so I can't compare them. But when Bierman came into the NFL he was a DE/LB tweener, and bulking him up to 270+ pounds so he can stand up against the run better at LE for us makes little sense to me. Leaving him at a more natural weight (not 245 or whatever he was obviously) to maximize his quickness, motor and versatility (which is helpful on defense but also special teams) is much more logical in my opinion.

We haven't seen Sidbury yet, but we drafted him because of his potential as a pass rusher. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I have been seeing Bierman getting a lot of snaps at LE, not at RE. That makes me believe that as he continues to develop we will use him in a rotation to take advantage of his quickness against some more slow footed RT's, that is a good matchup for us when we have the offense in a passing situation. Sidbury I can't say will be the heir to the RE spot, but he will get his chances and if he develops alright... why wouldn't he start there?

I think Bierman is a rotational LE for us, sure he could play RE, but he is a much better matchup at LE against a RT than he is at RE. That's probably why he gets so many snaps there, and that is why Chauncey rotates in at RE so much. Chauncey is more solid versus the run and less quick off the edge, but because he is going against a LT the LT's advantage of mirroring the speed rush is negated because Chauncey is a better bull rusher and is solid against the run. Bierman presents the same advantage at LE because he can beat RT's to the outside on a regular basis with a speed rush and with his good motor, and if he rotates in on more passing downs than rushing downs he negates the RT's main strength, which is usually run blocking.

Well i have seen him get as many pressures at RE as LE. The reason he is playing LE and not RE is we have one of the best playing RDE in Abe. The Coach wants to get Beirmann on the field by any means necessary (Reason why he was at DT a couple of times). I dont think that beirmann should add any more weight he is already at 260, same weight as ABe. Sidbury can add a few more pounds to his frame and is much more likely to play LDE than Beirmann at RDE.

[ATLBrave]

Well i have seen him get as many pressures at RE as LE. The reason he is playing LE and not RE is we have one of the best playing RDE in Abe. The Coach wants to get Beirmann on the field by any means necessary (Reason why he was at DT a couple of times). I dont think that beirmann should add any more weight he is already at 260, same weight as ABe. Sidbury can add a few more pounds to his frame and is much more likely to play LDE than Beirmann at RDE.

Wow, this isn't even close to being true. You want your quicker DE, aka Speed rusher, against a LT because those kinds of tackles are generally quicker as well and have better hands. Sidbury was the fastest timed DE in this draft, much like Abe was one of the fastest in his draft. 9/10 times, if a guy runs a 4.5 like Lawrence Sidbury, then he WILL be playing RDE, as he has been doing. And Biermann does not play LDE because "the coach wants him to get a lot more snaps," he plays that position because that's where he is suited to play. He has great quickness for a guy his size, that's why he lines up against slow-footed RT's because he'd be almost neutralized going up against a much quicker, and more technically sound LT.

[hakim24]

Wow, this isn't even close to being true. You want your quicker DE, aka Speed rusher, against a LT because those kinds of tackles are generally quicker as well and have better hands. Sidbury was the fastest timed DE in this draft, much like Abe was one of the fastest in his draft. 9/10 times, if a guy runs a 4.5 like Lawrence Sidbury, then he WILL be playing RDE, as he has been doing. And Biermann does not play LDE because "the coach wants him to get a lot more snaps," he plays that position because that's where he is suited to play. He has great quickness for a guy his size, that's why he lines up against slow-footed RT's because he'd be almost neutralized going up against a much quicker, and more technically sound LT.

I agree totally and that is why I believe we are fine at LDE for awhile.

The combination of JA98 and Biermann has been very good and I I cannot see us breaking that up. All of Biermann's sacks have come from the LE spot and he definitely seems very comfortable rushing the passer from that side.

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

Wow, this isn't even close to being true. You want your quicker DE, aka Speed rusher, against a LT because those kinds of tackles are generally quicker as well and have better hands. Sidbury was the fastest timed DE in this draft, much like Abe was one of the fastest in his draft. 9/10 times, if a guy runs a 4.5 like Lawrence Sidbury, then he WILL be playing RDE, as he has been doing. And Biermann does not play LDE because "the coach wants him to get a lot more snaps," he plays that position because that's where he is suited to play. He has great quickness for a guy his size, that's why he lines up against slow-footed RT's because he'd be almost neutralized going up against a much quicker, and more technically sound LT.

Exactly. Bierman plays LE because he is a matchup problem against RT, and Chauncey plays RE in a rotation with Abe because he is good versus the run and negates the LT's advantage in mirroring speed rushers off the edge.

We might disagree on whether Bierman is a legitimate starter at LE, but we agree on why he is there.

Personally I would froth at the mouth if we had a DL like this next year:

RE- Abe/Chauncey/Sidbury

NT- Jerry/Johnson

UT- Babs/JA98

LE- Griffen/Chauncey/Bierman

Being 4 deep at DT with quality players would be awesome, and being 5 deep at DE would be just as awesome. That is a defensive line that would be fun to watch develop before Abe retires/leaves, then we would have another position to look into potentially patching up. But until then... it would be very fun to watch rush the passer and hopefully slow down the run.

[Jaymadd]

Wow, this isn't even close to being true. You want your quicker DE, aka Speed rusher, against a LT because those kinds of tackles are generally quicker as well and have better hands. Sidbury was the fastest timed DE in this draft, much like Abe was one of the fastest in his draft. 9/10 times, if a guy runs a 4.5 like Lawrence Sidbury, then he WILL be playing RDE, as he has been doing. And Biermann does not play LDE because "the coach wants him to get a lot more snaps," he plays that position because that's where he is suited to play. He has great quickness for a guy his size, that's why he lines up against slow-footed RT's because he'd be almost neutralized going up against a much quicker, and more technically sound LT.

Exactly. Bierman plays LE because he is a matchup problem against RT, and Chauncey plays RE in a rotation with Abe because he is good versus the run and negates the LT's advantage in mirroring speed rushers off the edge.

We might disagree on whether Bierman is a legitimate starter at LE, but we agree on why he is there.

Personally I would froth at the mouth if we had a DL like this next year:

RE- Abe/Chauncey/Sidbury

NT- Jerry/Johnson

UT- Babs/JA98

LE- Griffen/Chauncey/Bierman

Being 4 deep at DT with quality players would be awesome, and being 5 deep at DE would be just as awesome. That is a defensive line that would be fun to watch develop before Abe retires/leaves, then we would have another position to look into potentially patching up. But until then... it would be very fun to watch rush the passer and hopefully slow down the run.

The problem is we dont know whether Sid 4.6 speed is going to translate to quickness around the edge. During the preseason Sid worked primarily on the Left side not the right. Coach Smith included Sidbury at the competition for LDE, not Beirmann. Correction on yalls part, you want your best pass rusher, not necessarily you quickest at RDE, and between Beirmann and Sidbury, Beirmann is our Best pass rusher, and he does have quickness and a great bull rush too. So it is not that far from being true.

Come on playas yall going up against greatness yall got to come better than that weak stuff LOL LOL

[ATLBrave]

The problem is we dont know whether Sid 4.6 speed is going to translate to quickness around the edge. During the preseason Sid worked primarily on the Left side not the right. Coach Smith included Sidbury at the competition for LDE, not Beirmann. Correction on yalls part, you want your best pass rusher, not necessarily you quickest at RDE, and between Beirmann and Sidbury, Beirmann is our Best pass rusher, and he does have quickness and a great bull rush too. So it is not that far from being true.

Come on playas yall going up against greatness yall got to come better than that weak stuff LOL LOL

******* excuse me? Guess what, it doesn't mean **** what Coach Smith said early in the offseason because he is doing the EXACT OPPOSITE at this very point in time. Sidbury, in his few snaps, has played RDE, not LDE. Biermann is getting his snaps at that position because that's where he is best suited. And no, you don't necessarily put your best pass-rusher at that the RDE, you put the guy with the quickest first step there (which is Sidbury, not Biermann).

Can't stand cocky little ***** who think they know things when they actually don't.

[Jaymadd]

******* excuse me? Guess what, it doesn't mean **** what Coach Smith said early in the offseason because he is doing the EXACT OPPOSITE at this very point in time. Sidbury, in his few snaps, has played RDE, not LDE. Biermann is getting his snaps at that position because that's where he is best suited. And no, you don't necessarily put your best pass-rusher at that the RDE, you put the guy with the quickest first step there (which is Sidbury, not Biermann).

Can't stand cocky little ***** who think they know things when they actually don't.

Dude lighten up it is not that serious man, Learn to take a joke man. Either way it goes Beirmann is not suited to be a Fulltime LDE, yeah i see him coming in on passing downs, but not to be an Everydown DE. Is Beirmann starting at LDE, please tell me that, I havent seen him start unless we are starting in the nickel. I am referring to which player will be an Everydown DE at which position, maybe you are just referring to being a pass rusher. Yeah if we keep Beirmann as a pass rusher then i see him logging most of his snaps at LDE, and Sidbury being an Everydown RDE. Smith is doing the exact opposite, Biermann has always been at LDE on passing downs, mainly because Abe is on the other side.

Take a chill pill dude the MB is not that serious my good man.

I highly doubt if you call me ****** in real life. Being an internet tough guy is easy.

Just to let you know Sidbury is getting off the snap slower than Beirmann and Abe.

[ATLBrave]

Dude lighten up it is not that serious man, Learn to take a joke man. Either way it goes Beirmann is not suited to be a Fulltime LDE, yeah i see him coming in on passing downs, but not to be an Everydown DE. Is Beirmann starting at LDE, please tell me that, I havent seen him start unless we are starting in the nickel. I am referring to which player will be an Everydown DE at which position, maybe you are just referring to being a pass rusher. Yeah if we keep Beirmann as a pass rusher then i see him logging most of his snaps at LDE, and Sidbury being an Everydown RDE. Smith is doing the exact opposite, Biermann has always been at LDE on passing downs, mainly because Abe is on the other side.

Take a chill pill dude the MB is not that serious my good man.

I highly doubt if you call me ****** in real life. Being an internet tough guy is easy.

Just to let you know Sidbury is getting off the snap slower than Beirmann and Abe.

Me being an internet tough guy? Anyways, that underlined statement is the biggest "no ****" statement I've ever seen in my life. Thank you for stating the obvious, and bringing nothing else to this conversation. I might as well underline the entire post because none of it is relevant to what we're talking about. I'm, nor is anyone else stating, that Biermann is starting right now. And I'd also love for you to give me actual facts as to why Biermann cannot be our starting LDE in the future besides your "he's just not suited for it," crap. Give me some actual FACTS as to why he cannot do it. And if you say because he's too small, then you really are clueless because the guy put on weight and muscle this offseason and lost none of his burst.

As for the last comment, no, he actually doesn't get off the line slower than Biermann. Abe yes (not many guys get off quicker than Abe), but not Biermann.

[Jaymadd]

Me being an internet tough guy? Anyways, that underlined statement is the biggest "no ****" statement I've ever seen in my life. Thank you for stating the obvious, and bringing nothing else to this conversation. I might as well underline the entire post because none of it is relevant to what we're talking about. I'm, nor is anyone else stating, that Biermann is starting right now. And I'd also love for you to give me actual facts as to why Biermann cannot be our starting LDE in the future besides your "he's just not suited for it," crap. Give me some actual FACTS as to why he cannot do it. And if you say because he's too small, then you really are clueless because the guy put on weight and muscle this offseason and lost none of his burst.

As for the last comment, no, he actually doesn't get off the line slower than Biermann. Abe yes (not many guys get off quicker than Abe), but not Biermann.

Because during the preseason when he was lined up at LDE on running downs he was getting pushed around, that is why. Until he puts on another 10-15lbs then we cant speculate. Again if he was soo good at LDE then he would be starting now, not next year, the reason he doesnt start is because he is not built to be an LDE right now. I dont know what he can put on another 10-15lbs without losing his quickness, you are speculating on something that might not happen.

I have watched the line in slow-mo with my DVR and yes Beirmann and ABe are both getting off the line quicker than Sidbury and Sid is not getting off the line as quick as his 4.6 speed would indicate. Speed and Quickness are two different things.

Please stop getting your panties bunched up when you have a discussion with me, it is unneccessary my friend. Life brings too many pleasures to get reiled up on some MB.

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

Dang we got an argument goin' on here.

Anyways, I tend to think that Bierman isn't quite cut out for the starting LE position. I think he is great as a rotational guy, but not necessarily as a starter. There really isn't much more reason for it than I think we should be happy having gotten a good rotational player that can hold up against the run ok occasionally but can rush the passer well and has a great motor. I worry that as he continues to bulk up he will lose some of his quickness which is the attribute he has that presents a good amount of his value. His straight line speed isn't elite, his explosion off the line isn't elite, but he has great quickness. He ran a 3 cone drill in just over 7 seconds (7.06 I think) and that measures lateral quickness and explosion in short areas. He might not fly off the line (though he gets off pretty well) but he is very quick which helps with his pass rushing and is part of the reason why he was a DE/LB hybrid, because of that quickness. He also ran a 4.56 second shuttle (which was .13 seconds slower than Sidbury), which measures the players ability to change direction at a high speed. That would likely come into play when you are speed rushing and you either pull an inside move or attempt to get the corner and dip under the blocker.

Bierman was .06 seconds slower than Sidbury in the 10 yard 40 split, and was 8 inches shorter on the vertical jump (both measure explosion from the lower body). That is some evidence for Sidbury having more explosion off the snap from a static position, not to mention he is much faster once he reaches his top speed than Bierman. Bierman has an edge on quickness, and that makes him an ideal rotational LE in my opinion. He doesn't necessarily have the explosion off the snap and the straight line speed to beat good LT's with a speed rush whereas Sidbury does. But Bierman's great quickness and good get-off and decent straight line speed are much more of an advantage at LE where he is going against an OT who is generally more slow-footed. THAT is why Bierman is getting more snaps there and why I think Sidbury projects to RE well. Obviously he is raw and needs development, but he has the tools to be a good pass rusher.

My concern with continuing to bulk Bierman up is that he measured at 246 pounds at the combine, which is small for a RE. He has added quite a bit of weight and is listed at 260 on the official website (I don't know how accurate that is, whether it is high or low, etc.) but that is 14 pounds heavier than he was at the combine. How much more weight can we pack onto his frame before it starts to slow him down? In my opinion, not much. And that is just how it is with some players.

I remember when Chris Hovan was on the Vikings and he was quite disruptive in his early years. Then they tried to bulk him up to try to get him to stand up better versus doubles since he was largely a penetrating DT (similar to our DT's) and they weren't defending the run that consistently. However, when he bulked up to 310-315 or whatever he did he was slower off the snap, less disruptive and was much less effective. He only regained this effectiveness when he went to Tampa and finally got to his ideal playing weight again and managed to regain more of his quickness that he had when he was in Minnesota earlier in his career.

The point of that example was that I am afraid that if we continue to have Bierman add weight he will lose some of his quickness that makes him so valuable to us as a pass rusher. He might stand up better versus the run but he might not, but is it really worth it trying to bulk him up versus the run if we risk depreciating his value as a pass rusher? Personally I don't think it is, and even though he will continue to lift weights and what not, but I think it will be to maintain a similar weight that he is at now, not to add 10 pounds to get up to 270 on his 6'2"-6'3" frame (which is getting pretty heavy for his size).

So even though he has proven that he can add weight, is it really in his best interest to continue doing that? Maybe a little bit more, but I really don't think bulking him up to 270 would be advantageous for him. Maybe I am wrong and he will still have good enough quickness to be effective, but I guess I would rather draft a more traditional starting LE and then rotate Bierman in behind him to maximize his pass rushing ability and not focus so much on his problems versus the run since he is a smaller guy.

[Jaymadd]

Dang we got an argument goin' on here.

Anyways, I tend to think that Bierman isn't quite cut out for the starting LE position. I think he is great as a rotational guy, but not necessarily as a starter. There really isn't much more reason for it than I think we should be happy having gotten a good rotational player that can hold up against the run ok occasionally but can rush the passer well and has a great motor. I worry that as he continues to bulk up he will lose some of his quickness which is the attribute he has that presents a good amount of his value. His straight line speed isn't elite, his explosion off the line isn't elite, but he has great quickness. He ran a 3 cone drill in just over 7 seconds (7.06 I think) and that measures lateral quickness and explosion in short areas. He might not fly off the line (though he gets off pretty well) but he is very quick which helps with his pass rushing and is part of the reason why he was a DE/LB hybrid, because of that quickness. He also ran a 4.56 second shuttle (which was .13 seconds slower than Sidbury), which measures the players ability to change direction at a high speed. That would likely come into play when you are speed rushing and you either pull an inside move or attempt to get the corner and dip under the blocker.

Bierman was .06 seconds slower than Sidbury in the 10 yard 40 split, and was 8 inches shorter on the vertical jump (both measure explosion from the lower body). That is some evidence for Sidbury having more explosion off the snap from a static position, not to mention he is much faster once he reaches his top speed than Bierman. Bierman has an edge on quickness, and that makes him an ideal rotational LE in my opinion. He doesn't necessarily have the explosion off the snap and the straight line speed to beat good LT's with a speed rush whereas Sidbury does. But Bierman's great quickness and good get-off and decent straight line speed are much more of an advantage at LE where he is going against an OT who is generally more slow-footed. THAT is why Bierman is getting more snaps there and why I think Sidbury projects to RE well. Obviously he is raw and needs development, but he has the tools to be a good pass rusher.

My concern with continuing to bulk Bierman up is that he measured at 246 pounds at the combine, which is small for a RE. He has added quite a bit of weight and is listed at 260 on the official website (I don't know how accurate that is, whether it is high or low, etc.) but that is 14 pounds heavier than he was at the combine. How much more weight can we pack onto his frame before it starts to slow him down? In my opinion, not much. And that is just how it is with some players.

I remember when Chris Hovan was on the Vikings and he was quite disruptive in his early years. Then they tried to bulk him up to try to get him to stand up better versus doubles since he was largely a penetrating DT (similar to our DT's) and they weren't defending the run that consistently. However, when he bulked up to 310-315 or whatever he did he was slower off the snap, less disruptive and was much less effective. He only regained this effectiveness when he went to Tampa and finally got to his ideal playing weight again and managed to regain more of his quickness that he had when he was in Minnesota earlier in his career.

The point of that example was that I am afraid that if we continue to have Bierman add weight he will lose some of his quickness that makes him so valuable to us as a pass rusher. He might stand up better versus the run but he might not, but is it really worth it trying to bulk him up versus the run if we risk depreciating his value as a pass rusher? Personally I don't think it is, and even though he will continue to lift weights and what not, but I think it will be to maintain a similar weight that he is at now, not to add 10 pounds to get up to 270 on his 6'2"-6'3" frame (which is getting pretty heavy for his size).

So even though he has proven that he can add weight, is it really in his best interest to continue doing that? Maybe a little bit more, but I really don't think bulking him up to 270 would be advantageous for him. Maybe I am wrong and he will still have good enough quickness to be effective, but I guess I would rather draft a more traditional starting LE and then rotate Bierman in behind him to maximize his pass rushing ability and not focus so much on his problems versus the run since he is a smaller guy.

I think it has been a big misunderstanding and ATL Brave got madd. Since this is the NFL Draft and FA Agency forum i tend to think about the offseason and what to do around draft time, not soo much about what is going on now. I know that Beirmann is playing LDE and he is playing DT too on some downs, because the coaches want his skill on the field. I am looking over the long run at who will fill the void at LDE, and I have questions about both Sidbury and Biermann at LDE, more so for Beirmann because of his size. I do agree that if we keep Beirmann as a rotational DE then him playing LDe would be the best choice, kind of like a Robert Mathis type of role. I want use to draft a traditional pass/run LDE like Morgan or Griffen.

I still dont like Beirmann as the Starting LDE going forward and he would be a better option as a Fulltime RDE as opposed to a Fulltime starting LDE, based on his size.

[hakim24]

This is the reason why I say we do not need to draft a D-Lineman in the 1st round.

If we do draft a D-Lineman what happens to Biermann?

I think we are perfectly fine with the combination of Jamaal Anderson on Run downs and Biermann on Pass downs. It plays them to their strengths AND keeps them fresh. Of course it is great to have a player who can play all 3 downs, but our system definitely has worked pretty well.

I think that is how our Defense is going to be run for a long time. A lot of rotation to keep guys fresh and ready to make an impact at any part of the game.... not just in the 1st half.

I don't think it is any reason to add another DE early when they have performed so well.

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

This is the reason why I say we do not need to draft a D-Lineman in the 1st round.

If we do draft a D-Lineman what happens to Biermann?

I think we are perfectly fine with the combination of Jamaal Anderson on Run downs and Biermann on Pass downs. It plays them to their strengths AND keeps them fresh. Of course it is great to have a player who can play all 3 downs, but our system definitely has worked pretty well.

I think that is how our Defense is going to be run for a long time. A lot of rotation to keep guys fresh and ready to make an impact at any part of the game.... not just in the 1st half.

I don't think it is any reason to add another DE early when they have performed so well.

I'm hesitant to say that our DL has played extremely well or even pretty well. They have had their moments, but their play could definitely be elevated. LE is probably the spot where we could make the biggest improvement (assuming Jerry and Babs are our starting DT's next year), which is why I want to try to grab one in the 1st.

And I don't think your fear that Kroy or Sidbury would just disappear and not ever see the field again is very justified, no offense. The team wouldn't draft a DE that they think will develop into a starter and then just sit Kroy or Sid on the bench or keep them inactive.

And what happens if we try to bulk JA98 up to try to bolster DT depth since he has been playing well in that capacity? Then we would have room to add a DE to the rotation. I will be pretty frustrated if we don't move JA98 inside to DT, because he is just not cut out to be a starting LE, and we would be better off drafting a guy like Morgan or Griffen to be the starter in a year or two in my opinion.

[Jaymadd]

This is the reason why I say we do not need to draft a D-Lineman in the 1st round.

If we do draft a D-Lineman what happens to Biermann?

I think we are perfectly fine with the combination of Jamaal Anderson on Run downs and Biermann on Pass downs. It plays them to their strengths AND keeps them fresh. Of course it is great to have a player who can play all 3 downs, but our system definitely has worked pretty well.

I think that is how our Defense is going to be run for a long time. A lot of rotation to keep guys fresh and ready to make an impact at any part of the game.... not just in the 1st half.

I don't think it is any reason to add another DE early when they have performed so well.

Good point but you can never have too many DE, and Abe is not a spring chicken, we still have very young talent at CB. OLB maybe i can see taking early, but my opinion is biased based on my high hopes for Adkins.

[hakim24]

Good point but you can never have too many DE, and Abe is not a spring chicken, we still have very young talent at CB. OLB maybe i can see taking early, but my opinion is biased based on my high hopes for Adkins.

Abe is not, but we already have a few guys that have the potential to take his place. If we have those guys, why stunt their development by bringing in more guys?

I definitely think Sidbury has a much higher chance to become a starter in the future than Adkins. Adkins looks like a STs player.

You know my opinion on CB. The only guy that I think has potential is Owens. Everyone else just seems like a bunch of good Nickel Backs.

[Jaymadd]

Abe is not, but we already have a few guys that have the potential to take his place. If we have those guys, why stunt their development by bringing in more guys?

I definitely think Sidbury has a much higher chance to become a starter in the future than Adkins. Adkins looks like a STs player.

You know my opinion on CB. The only guy that I think has potential is Owens. Everyone else just seems like a bunch of good Nickel Backs.

I am willing to see how well Grimes can improve this season before i consider us taking a CB early in the draft, but i dont mind us drafting a CB in the later rounds to replace the CB we lost off the Practice Squad in Middleton. I think that Sidbury has a greater chance too, but i still think we got a diamond in the rough with Adkins, I saw how fast he is on the field and that is a plus for a GM that says that he wants to get faster.

[hakim24]

I am willing to see how well Grimes can improve this season before i consider us taking a CB early in the draft, but i dont mind us drafting a CB in the later rounds to replace the CB we lost off the Practice Squad in Middleton. I think that Sidbury has a greater chance too, but i still think we got a diamond in the rough with Adkins, I saw how fast he is on the field and that is a plus for a GM that says that he wants to get faster.

I have been impressed with Grimes, but we know far too well that he struggles against bigger WRs. He is definitely our best cover CB and I really like him as a Nickel/Starter. I just don't think having two undersized CBs (Owens,Grimes) is going to bode well for us when we face those big Receivers.

I really want either Grime or Owens to be the starter and the other to be the Nickel. We need another CB on the outside though and I don't think we have one on our roster.

[NFL Draft Fan 07]

I have been impressed with Grimes, but we know far too well that he struggles against bigger WRs. He is definitely our best cover CB and I really like him as a Nickel/Starter. I just don't think having two undersized CBs (Owens,Grimes) is going to bode well for us when we face those big Receivers.

I really want either Grime or Owens to be the starter and the other to be the Nickel. We need another CB on the outside though and I don't think we have one on our roster.

We are in perfect lock step on this. I would prefer Owens to be the starter and Grimes the nickel personally, but that is just because I like Owens quite a bit and had him in my final mock for us in the 3rd round.

But I agree, we don't have the other starting CB on our roster yet. I hoped it might be Houston but that is just not ever going to be the case.

The place where we disagree is whether we need to draft the CB in round 1 or whether we draft one in round 3 perhaps. Personally I would prefer round 3 or a free agent signing, but a FA acquisition is going to be difficult to make this year as we have discussed before. I just don't know how many CB's are actually worth a round 1 pick. Joe Haden, maybe Trevard Lindley and then Patrick Robinson and Brandon Ghee are toss-ups for me. Haden is the only guy I think will end up in the top 20, the rest will be late 1st or early 2nd round picks.

I think 3rd round could be a good spot to pick up a quality corner, especially if a few juniors declare (Haden, Ras-I Dowling and maybe Donovan Warren and Karmeem Jackson). That would mean there would be a pretty big glut of 2nd round corners that would be very unlikely to all go in the 2nd round. That means a couple guys (perhaps Perrish Cox and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah) might be available where we pick when we wouldn't have assumed that before.

I don't know if there is a corner who strikes me as a legitimate #1 CB in this class. Haden has the best chance, but I haven't seen him enough to have that confidence. The other guys strike me as pretty good starters, but not #1's like some people want from this draft. I honestly don't think there is a CB worth that kind of a grade in this class. And that makes me think we should try to take advantage of the glut of reliable potential starters that will be available on the 2nd day of the draft (I think the 2nd day is 2nd and 3rd only now) instead of trying to find a stud #1 when there may not be a guy like that available in this draft.

[hakim24]

We are in perfect lock step on this. I would prefer Owens to be the starter and Grimes the nickel personally, but that is just because I like Owens quite a bit and had him in my final mock for us in the 3rd round.

But I agree, we don't have the other starting CB on our roster yet. I hoped it might be Houston but that is just not ever going to be the case.

The place where we disagree is whether we need to draft the CB in round 1 or whether we draft one in round 3 perhaps. Personally I would prefer round 3 or a free agent signing, but a FA acquisition is going to be difficult to make this year as we have discussed before. I just don't know how many CB's are actually worth a round 1 pick. Joe Haden, maybe Trevard Lindley and then Patrick Robinson and Brandon Ghee are toss-ups for me. Haden is the only guy I think will end up in the top 20, the rest will be late 1st or early 2nd round picks.

I think 3rd round could be a good spot to pick up a quality corner, especially if a few juniors declare (Haden, Ras-I Dowling and maybe Donovan Warren and Karmeem Jackson). That would mean there would be a pretty big glut of 2nd round corners that would be very unlikely to all go in the 2nd round. That means a couple guys (perhaps Perrish Cox and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah) might be available where we pick when we wouldn't have assumed that before.

I don't know if there is a corner who strikes me as a legitimate #1 CB in this class. Haden has the best chance, but I haven't seen him enough to have that confidence. The other guys strike me as pretty good starters, but not #1's like some people want from this draft. I honestly don't think there is a CB worth that kind of a grade in this class. And that makes me think we should try to take advantage of the glut of reliable potential starters that will be available on the 2nd day of the draft (I think the 2nd day is 2nd and 3rd only now) instead of trying to find a stud #1 when there may not be a guy like that available in this draft.

I'm not really looking to find a #1 CB. It would definitely be great to get one, but there are not many #1 CBs in the league right now. I just want to get a reliable player who can really solidify a starting spot in the future and consistently perform at a good level. I do want him to have that #1 potential though.

The guy who really strikes me is Trevard Lindley from Kentucky. We have gradually gotten rid of that Cover 2 scheme and have become a more attacking/blitzing defense. That type defense leaves our CBs in Man Coverage on an island a lot.

Lindley does need to work on playing in more zone coverage, but he has been so good in Man coverage that Kentucky really doesn't play much else.

What we need is a CB with size, playmaking ability, and also the ability to play Man coverage at a high level...... that is Trevard Lindley.

The reason why most rookies don't start at CB is because they have trouble in Man, but Lindley is the exact opposite and can really allow our defense to be even more aggressive. That is why I like him for our team.

Every scouting report I have read has said that he is EXCELLENT in Man Coverage. That is exactly what we need.